Padres fans, this is what you’ve been waiting for.
Displaying the power which made him a target of general manager Jed Hoyer at the trade deadline, Ryan Ludwick hit his first two homers as a Padre on Tuesday night, helping San Diego take down the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 at Petco Park.
Ludwick’s 99th and 100th career homers helped take the edge off the new Padres cleanup hitter, who admitted he had been feeling the pressure to perform for his new team.
“They’ve got something really special going here, I just want to help out,” Ludwick told 619 Sports after the game, “I think at times it’s human nature, you try to do a little too much.”
VIDEO: Ryan Ludwick and Chris Denorfia talk to 619 Sports after the win:
Ludwick got the Padres started with a line shot solo homer in the second inning off Pirates’ starter Jeff Karstens (2-8). His second solo blast was a long shot to center field off former Padre Wil Ledezma in the seventh.
“It’s human nature to come to a new club and want to do well,” said Padres manager Bud Black, ”and you just try a little bit too hard, no matter who you are.”
Black said he had told Ludwick to relax after Ryan admitted to pressing in his first few games with the Padres.
“Hopefully this will ease him into a new environment.”
Read more and hear from Padres starter Wade LeBlanc after the jump:
In between Ludwick’s longballs, San Diego starter Wade LeBlanc effectively kept the Bucs off balance with his standard fastball-changeup repertoire. Working out of jams in the second and third innings, LeBlanc (6-10) struck out eight over 5 2/3’s innings, allowing five hits and one run.
LeBlanc credited improved velocity on the fastball for making his changeup more effective (embedded soundbyte):
Pittsburgh threatened to take the lead in the second inning, but Padres defense and some clutch pitching helped defuse the threat. With runners at first and second and nobody out, Pirates first baseman Andy LaRoche hit a hard chopper to the right side. Jerry Hairston Jr. made a diving stop at second base to flag down the ball, which he converted into a fielder’s choice at second base.
With runners at the corners and one away, LeBlanc struck out Chris Snyder and Ronny Cedeno on changeups to end the inning. Ludwick opened the bottom of the inning with his first homer of the night and the Padres were off and running.
Luke Gregerson, Mike Adams and Heath Bell closed out the game for San Diego, with Bell earning his NL-best 32nd save of the season. It was the Padres’ fourth win in as many tries against Pittsburgh this year, and their seventh straight over the Bucs dating back to 2009.
Combined with a Giants’ loss to Chicago, the Padres opened up a 2 1/2 game lead in the National League West. Kevin Correia will face former Dodger James McDonald on Wednesday night, a 7:05 start at Petco Park.
The Padres took notice of increased fan interest, as 23,249 showed up for a Tuesday night game against the lowly Bucs. ”We were talking about it in the outfield during a pitching change,” said Chris Denorfia, “It’s a lot of fun for us, and we appreciate the support.”
619 Sports’ Ernie Martinez contributed our clubhouse reporting tonight.
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